Place-Based Decision Support for Spatial and Temporal Transference of Risk and Hazards

The role of inequality (geographic, temporal, social) is one of the least understood concepts in vulnerability science, an emergent multidisciplinary field focused on what makes people and places vulnerable to environmental threats from natural, technological, or human-induced threats. This research examines the different impacts of hazards and risks on people and the places they live and will develop new methods and models for measuring vulnerability (and resilience) to extreme events and chronic risks at the local level. Two place-based case studies will serve as test-beds for linking theory, concepts, methods, and models in a GIS-based decision support tool kit. The case study sites, Los Angeles, CA and Charleston, SC were chosen based on the mix of common and unique hazards (hurricanes, earthquakes), a range in scale-dependent complexities of the regions, the nature of the built environment, and the local knowledge of team members.